1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to data processing systems and in particular to providing an improved method of allowing data processing systems to communicate. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to enabling data processing systems to communicate without requiring a network adapter and using an ordinary embedded phone line in conjunction with an existing modem.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Internet has become a cultural fixture as a source of both information and entertainment. Many businesses are creating Internet sites as an integral part of their marketing efforts, informing consumers of the products or services offered by the business or providing other information seeking to engender brand loyalty. Many federal, state, and local government agencies are also employing Internet sites for informational purposes, particularly agencies which must interact with virtually all segments of society such as the Internal Revenue Service and secretaries of state. Operating costs may be reduced by providing informational guides and/or searchable databases of public records online.
The largest segment of the consuming public does not currently have access to these resources. Such consumers are typically either unable or unmotivated to acquire both the requisite hardware and software and the necessary computer skills for taking advantage of these resources. There is a need for low cost data processing systems which are simple to operate, allowing users without computer skills the opportunity to access the Internet. This need is being addressed, to some extent, by "WebTV" systems.
In designing a low cost, simple data processing system, however, it is necessary to presume that the target user is unsophisticated and/or inexperienced. Therefore the operation of the data processing system must be both simple and intuitive, requiring little or no technical sophistication on the part of the user. In this regard, it would be advantageous to provide users with a simple method for connecting data processing systems to share information or resources without the expense of dedicated wiring and special local area network (LAN) adapters.
Conventional data processing systems typically require dedicated LAN adapters and cabling. Establishing communications between two or more data processing systems requires a high degree of technical ability, since the LAN adapters must be installed and configured, cabling must be run within the distance tolerances of the LAN system employed, and the operating system software on each connected data processing system must be configured or augmented to establish the communications capabilities.
Users with several data processing systems may need to connect such data processing systems to share resources, including, for example, a printer. Data processing systems designed to access the Internet already have modems, but lack the LAN cards and dedicated cabling utilized by most modern network systems. Moreover, a user's residence or place of business is generally already wired for multiple phone connections using the same line. It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a simple system for communicating between data processing systems using existing modems and phone wiring. It would also be desirable to make such a system as simple to implement as possible, requiring no technical knowledge on the part of the user.